The case of Pelagie Inuk: The only Inuk woman to become a Grey Nun
In the Arctic, no studies have been made of Indigenous nuns. In this paper we present the case of Pelagie Inuk, who became a Grey Nun. Motivated by a wish to help other people, Pelagie chose the celibate life of a Grey Nun, instead of a married life in an Inuit family. The missionaries often present...
| Published in: | Études/Inuit/Studies |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Association Inuksiutiit Katimajiit Inc.
2014
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/1028858ar https://doi.org/10.7202/1028858ar |
| Summary: | In the Arctic, no studies have been made of Indigenous nuns. In this paper we present the case of Pelagie Inuk, who became a Grey Nun. Motivated by a wish to help other people, Pelagie chose the celibate life of a Grey Nun, instead of a married life in an Inuit family. The missionaries often presented her as a role model who took the right path in contrast to other individuals who clung to their “pagan,” i.e. shamanic traditions, but her life history shows that she remained caught between conflicting traditions and finally opted for life in an Inuit family. Dans l’Arctique, les religieuses autochtones n’ont jamais été étudiées. Dans cet article, nous présentons le cas de Pélagie Inuk, qui est devenue une soeur grise. Motivée par son désir d’aider les autres, Pélagie a d’abord fait le choix de vivre en célibataire comme une religieuse plutôt qu’en femme mariée dans une famille inuit. Les missionnaires l’ont souvent présentée comme un modèle qui a su prendre le bon chemin, contrairement à d’autres individus qui ont conservé leurs traditions «païennes», ou chamaniques, mais son histoire de vie montre qu’elle est restée partagée entre ces voies conflictuelles avant de revenir finalement à sa vie de femme au sein d’une famille inuit. |
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